


The Peculiar Manservant

by galacticnebula



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon, F/M, Good Morgana (Merlin), Infatuated Morgana, Mystery, Sleeping draught, Slow Romance, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 17:00:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17328941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galacticnebula/pseuds/galacticnebula
Summary: The Lady Morgana has terrifying nightmares about magic. Unknowing of her own evolving magical powers, she seeks help from a certain Merlin. But then she starts developing weird side-effects...





	1. Forbidden in Camelot

In middle of the night, in a dark, threatening forest stood the Lady Morgana, the King’s lovely ward. She could not remember why or how she got there in the first place, but something had drawn her to this specific location, to the lake. She tried to recall how she made it there, but her memory was blank, oddly.

Morgana sat on a smooth rock, still confused of her whereabouts. The reflection of the moon on the rippling water enlightened the porcelain skin of her face, framed by the hood of her dark turquoise cloak, as well as her emerald eyes. It was quite hypnotizing to look at, and the King’s ward couldn’t take her eyes away. It was captivating, almost _magical_.

_But magic is strictly forbidden in Camelot_ , Morgana reminded herself, thinking about King Uther’s words. _Magic is evil._

She jolted from her place as she heard very strange noises nearby. It sounded like laughing. More precisely, children laugh.

The Lady wrapped her cloak tighter to around body, staring into the abyss of the forest. She could only hear the eerie and innocent laughs.

_“Forbearnan.”_

Her eyes widened in terror as she saw a flame unexpectedly appearing a few meters away from her, but her body wouldn’t bulge. It was a terrifying; there she was, facing potentially dangerous magic users and being unable to escape. _I am going to die. They are going to kill me._

Then a young boy then emerged from the darkness of the woods, holding a fire torch. He was heading straight toward her in a confident step.

Morgana tried to stand up, but her legs were frozen in place. She lifted her arms in front of her, as if it could protect her from evil magical powers. “W-Who are you? What do you want?”

No answer from the boy. Without a word, he climbed on the rock next to her, only to stare at the light of the fire of the torch he was holding. “I don’t know, you tell me.”

Lady Morgana remained still, puzzled. The dark-haired boy looked rather inoffensive, but his capabilities and intentions remained unknown.

“You are a magic user.”

“I was born with it.”

There was a familiarity stemming from him, which further added to the nonsense of the events, but Morgana just played along.

“And magic is evil,” she ensued.

The boy shrugged. “Not if you have a good heart.”

All her life, the Lady Morgana has been persuaded to believe that magic’s sole purpose was to be ruthless and cruel, and that sorcerers should be forthwith executed. Yet, her heart shrank as she looked at the innocuous child. How could one dare put this poor boy to death only for being a child? He was using magic in such a harmless way, proving that sorcery was not inherently bad. It was the user who made it the way it was.

“Magic could be used for good” she said automatically.

“You do understand, Lady Morgana. Unlike your King.”

The unexpected low voice stirred her from her thoughts. She turned toward the boy and jumped as she realized she was now sitting next to a grown-up man. He was still holding the torch in his hands, then casted a spell that shaped the flame into a dragon. She wanted to scream, but then it was her lungs that were unmoving.

The man beside her finally looked straight into her eyes… the familiarity was now obvious.

_Merlin!_

“I’m just an innocent boy looking for recognition,” he said with stern eyes and a husky voice. “It is my destiny. What is yours Morgana?”

His fingers slowly stroked Morgana’s cheek. She was totally petrified of her limp state, her eyes wide. His other hand was still holding the fire torch, lighting both their faces.

“You and I both know about your powers and desires.”

Morgana had no time to react before her dream’s version of Merlin dropped the torch and reached for her neck. She gasped for air as his fingers wrapped around her throat, gradually increasing the pressure and her need for air. Her consciousness began to fade as she heard his last words. “When the time comes, you and I will rule this world.”


	2. Just a dream

Her eyes snapped wide open, her breathing heavy. She gazed around, confused and scared, still under the rush of adrenaline. Morgana was in her chambers and everything seemed intact. Her clothes were clean and neat, showing no signs of her escaping into the woods last night. Also, there was no sign of Merlin… at least for that moment.

_It was just a dream._

Just a new nightmare to add to her dream bank. Her other nightmares have been mostly violent, and she ended up dismissing them, but this dream was different. It somehow felt more real; the fresh evening breeze on her skin, the smell of the wood, the sound of rippling water hitting the shores… she felt it through her senses.

“Gwen?” she called, but nobody answered, much to her disappointment.

The Lady Morgana stood up from her bed and analyzed her surroundings. It was early morning and the sunlight poured through her windows. As she walked closer to one, she felt the warmth of the outside. A heartwarming, sunny day was to be expected, positively altering her mood.

“Milady, I’m sorry to be so late. The kitchen experienced some delay.”

The young and pretty female servant made her way to the chamber’s bed. “Should I leave the tray on this table, Milady?”

“Gwen.” Morgana started. “You don’t have to be so formal to me. I am your friend.”

She walked to her servant and smiled as she gently took the tray from her hands. “I’ll take care of this.”

The tray was laid on a nearby table, then Morgana took a pastry and paced around her room. She could not stop thinking about her nightmare, about how tangible it seemed. Although her body was unable to move, the emotions that went through her were true. Merlin’s words still struck her.

_‘It is my destiny. What is yours Morgana?’_

Her destiny… his words awakened something deep within her, a desire she has been craving for all those years under Uther Pendragon’s wing. What if she could rule the Kingdom, establish her own rules over Camelot?

She shook her head. _Of course not. Arthur is the heir to the throne, not me._ Morgana felt powerless, even if she was so close to the King and his son. She was considered as the King’s daughter and she could have been a princess… But she was not, and never will be. She was only the King’s _ward_.

Anyway, why would Merlin be in her dreams?

Could it be that Merlin, Prince Arthur’s servant, is a _sorcerer…_?

No, that sounded absurd; pure madness. Yet it excited her to imagine such ordinary man defying Uther’s absolute rule.

“You look distracted Morgana,” Gwen said as she put a comforting hand on the King’s ward arm.

Morgana shook her head. “N-no I just had another nightmare, as per usual.”

“If you say so…”

The servant nodded hesitantly and was about to leave before she was interrupted in her tracks.

“Gwen, do you think… Do you think magic is evil?”

Gwen stared at the Lady Morgana with wide eyes, completely bewildered of the question that had just been asked to her. “Pardon, Milady?”

“I am fully aware it is Camelot’s forbidden subject, but I need to know.” Morgana insisted calmly before adding, “You are free to say anything that comes to your mind.”

Gwen was startled. It was a weird question, but most important thing, speaking of magic was forbidden by the King and if anyone would come to hear their conversation, they would chop her head off… or burn her alive for that matters. But then, her master was impatiently waiting for an answer.

“Milady, magic is…” She bit her lip, trying to find the right words. “I think the burden falls upon the one using it.”

Morgana turned around, thoughtful. What Gwen said was true. Magic was a like a weapon after all, just like a sword or a mace. It is the knight wielding the sword who kills its target, not the sword itself, whom simply acts as a tool.

“Right. Thank you, Gwen. You are free to go.”

The young servant headed to the door and before leaving, she reassured her master. “If you need anything, I’m always close by.”

The latter nodded and returned a genuine smile.

For the past days, her dreams had all been about magic, each of them having a recurrent theme: the status of magic obviously, but also _Merlin_. And the weirdest aspect of it all was Merlin’s connection to magic. In her dreams, he was a _sorcerer_ , which seemed quite silly.

The reason as to why Arthur’s manservant made his way to her dreams was unknown. Maybe it was his uncanny behaviour and the way he seemed to always come by _at the right moment_. Whenever they would celebrate Arthur victory in all its glory, Merlin would be there, grinning to himself. Morgana couldn’t help but glance at the rather tall and handsome servant and notice his little quirks.

She blushed at the thoughts invading her mind. Merlin was honestly very handsome. Though he was only a servant! A relationship between the two had to remain platonic.

The Morgana came to one conclusion: she would have to have a talk with Gaius later in the evening, the court’s physician and the King’s most trusted confident.

After drinking down her cup of fresh water and eating some of her breakfast, she prepared for the usual day, which mainly constituted of attending Uther’s sessions with the tacticians, greeting some guests, carrying out the basic “maintenance” royal routine. In other words, _diplomacy_.

Morgana was not deeply fond of the diplomatic chores, but she did pick on some aspects that would benefit her in her ludicrous world domination scenarios.

* * *

 

_Knock-knock._

“Please enter,” the voice inside spoke.

Morgana walked in Gaius’ chambers full of scientific literature and peculiar collection of artefacts and closed the door behind her. It was almost like a sorcerer’s room…

_Stop thinking magic is everywhere around you,_ she scolded herself.

Immediately, a handsome young man named Merlin caught her attention. For a moment she forgot that Merlin was always with the court physician whenever he wasn't doing Arthur's chores. It was surely complicating her personal mission. She couldn't admit out loud he was the main subject of her dreams!

Unsure of her next move, she just stood there, under the nonchalant stare of Merlin. This one was sipping a soup and Gaius was reading some book. Both were peacefully sitting in front of each other. The older man broke the uncomfortable silence.

“So, what brings you here this late Milady? Did you need your sleeping draught?”

She coughed and regained her senses.

“Oh yes, I do need my sleeping draught, but I’m not only here for that.” She paused, briefly glancing at Merlin, whom was rather absorbed in savouring his soup. Hm, he made it look so very tasty…

“I have inquiries regarding my nightmares. They have been getting increasingly strange” she continued.

At those words, Merlin gave a peculiar look at Gaius, who responded quickly. “You don’t need to worry. Have you taken your sleeping draught?”

“I do every night Gaius, but it isn’t enough! Something’s wrong with my dreams. Can you help me?” she said very insistently.

Morgana ignored Merlin’s heavy stare and she was good at it. She grew up to become quite a good actor after all, after so much time putting on a false front under Uther’s guard. Not that she never showed her true emotions but playing pretend was highly preferable over having to confront the King.

Gaius closed the book he was reading and walked closer to the young woman. “Well of course Milady. Tell me about it.”

Morgana frowned. “Let’s say it is quite… personal.”

The physician turned toward Merlin and without any words, the message was understood. The young handsome man walked out the Gaius’ chambers, taking his soup with him. He must be a very hungry man…

“Milady, what kind of dreams could cause you such distress?” Gaius inquired, after Merlin was out of the chambers.

She hesitated before speaking, making sure Merlin was well out of sight and ear.

“Do you promise not to tell Uther?” she whispered.

She had to make sure it stayed a secret between them. Gaius was very close to Uther Pendragon. He would be utterly mad if he knew about her dreams and treat her like a little impotent girl as he always did.

“You’ve got my word, Milady.”

Morgana was not so sure if she wanted to carry on, but she did anyway.

“I have been having recurring dreams about sorcery…” she said.

“Yes,” the old man replied. “You’ve told me about those before.”

“And…” she looked at Gaius carefully before continuing. “Lately, Merlin has been present in my dreams.”

“Merlin, in your dreams?” He raised an eyebrow.

Her face warmed up in embarrassment. “I-I mean, in the sense that in my dreams, he’s always connected to sorcery. He also mentioned something about me having powers. How could that be?”

“Milady, I am afraid it has nothing to justify itself. It’s simply a dream,” he said factually.

Again, Morgana sighed, a bit frustrated. Gaius was very hard to read with his immovable poker face. It was always the same thing: _simply a dream_. It couldn’t only be a dream, it was happening every night since many weeks! And the Merlin in her dreams seemed so authentic.

“I know you wanted another answer, but it is the only conclusion I can come up with.”

Morgana inspected the older man carefully. He stood very still, not moving an inch, his fingers linked in front of him. He almost looked like a statue as he stared straight into her eyes, barely blinking. Something was off. He was way too stiff, which was unlike him when he was at his chambers. He was usually relaxed.

“You are hiding something from me” she retorted, visibly upset. “No matter what it is, I will find it.”

With her last sentence, she walked out and almost collided with a certain Merlin who was leaning on the door. They did not do much except glancing at each other, then she made her way to her chambers.


	3. Frustration

Morgana was laying in her bed, staring at the ceiling and unable to sleep. It was not unusual for her, but this time her mind kept replaying her recent conversation with Gaius. There was something the physician was obviously hiding from her and it seriously frustrated her. Not to mention, it was not the first time she noticed his evasive behaviour.

Technically, it was not like her nightmares about magic happened occasionally. They happened on a daily basis! She discarded them so many times, hoping they would forever be forgotten. But they always returned in her sleep, in different settings. Therefore, once and for all, she decided it was time to act on it. She just _had_ to know what was wrong with her… and also to find what was Merlin’s connection to her.

_‘You and I both know about your powers and desires.’_

He mentioned _her_ powers. What powers?

_It was only a dream_ , she repeatedly reminded herself. Still, the words marked her. She may not have some kind of _powers_ , but she clearly had a strong desire for governance.

Morgana has always had this secret aspiration to overcome Uther’s authority and become the ruler of the land, in a time where women were treated as incompetent and dependent beings. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the slightest decisional power for Camelot’s outlook to the future. The King would not listen to her at all, except when it came to her basic needs, which was quite baffling for such an adventuresome and thrill-thriving woman.

A knock on the door stirred her from her pensive and tired state. She stood up to open the door slowly, with suspicion. The Lady Morgana was greeted by the one and only…

“Milady, Gaius sent me to give you your sleeping draught.”

There was Merlin, the subject of her recent dreams, standing at the entrance of her chambers very late in the evening. He was holding a flask containing a yellow liquid substance: her sleeping elixir.

“Oh, thank you, Merlin. I forgot to pick it up earlier.” Morgana said softly, unable to look straight into his ocean blue eyes. She took the flask.

She then expected him to leave, but he just stood immobile at her door frame.

Morgana showed a compelled smile but became uneasy as Merlin really didn’t bulge from his position, as if he was waiting for something specific. He was slowly growing closer to her. His slender and tall form hovered over hers. She could smell the familiar scent of firewood smoke emanating from him, and it was very intoxicating…

_No. It was wrong._ Wrong on all levels. Merlin was Arthur’s servant!

“Good night Merlin.” Morgana hurried as she took a step back, ready to close her door.

But Merlin interfered before she could do so.

“Morgana, are you alright?”

It was the first time she heard him use her informal name without her title. Both already knew each other since Merlin earned his role as Arthur’s servant, but never has he crossed the line of the status-quo. Though there was an evident sexual tension between them. She has felt it, but constantly avoided the subject for obvious reasons.

Without much thought, the King’s ward re-opened her door to the handsome servant, but she obstructed the entrance to her chambers with her body by leaning on the door frame. “Thank you for asking. I am all right.” She bit her lower lip. “It is getting late, Arthur will be quite upset if you can’t wake up tomorrow morning.”

Merlin let out a chuckle. “The Prince can be upset, but he’ll have to grin and bear it. He can’t survive without me anyway.”

Morgana tried to hold her laugh inside, the corner of her lips moving upwards. Merlin just mocked his master, right in front of the King’s ward! He was a very daring man, which added to his many other attractive traits, such as his sarcasm and enigmatic behaviour.

The manservant couldn’t help himself and grinned. It was flattering to have the Lady Morgana react to his banter after all. “I mean, no offense to the royal prat…”

Morgana snickered. This man just addressed what nobody wanted to say explicitly, fearing Arthur’s arrogance firing back.

A few seconds of silence went by before Merlin brought up the averted subject.

“I overheard about your dreams.”

Morgana leaned forward to check if there was any other presence in the hallway, then pulled Merlin in her chambers and shut the door close behind her. She couldn't have anyone hear about it!

“Regarding that...” she began, leaving her sleeping draught on her night desk. “First of all, it is wrong to eavesdrop on the King’s ward.”

The manservant rubbed the back of his head and awkwardly nodded. “I apologize for that… the door isn’t exactly soundproof.”

Morgana thought he looked cute when he tried to justify himself. There was no chance he could have overheard through stone walls and the thick wooden door. Though she didn’t dwell on it too much. It was highly likely that he had partially opened the door. That was still improper, nevertheless.

“Merlin, I am turning mad. They are only dreams, as Gaius said. I’m just-”

“You are not mad,” he cut her off as he leaned on the rather cold, rocky wall. “Your dreams are not meaningless.”

Morgana’s tone turned defensive. “How would you know about that? You are only a… servant.”

She wished to have the answers, but at the same time she was afraid of whatever truth would be thrown at her. Merlin’s hurt expression didn’t fail to make her feel guilty for a moment.

“Trust me, I do understand you.” he spoke with an unreadable facial expression.

“Do you believe what Gaius said about my dreams?” she stared into Merlin’s eyes with determination and rising hope.

“I…” he rubbed his hair and let out a loud sigh. “I do believe him, but I don’t think you’re crazy.”

Morgana didn’t obtain the exact wanted answer but felt relieved nevertheless. At least she was not mad. Her thoughts flew with dozens of questions.

_Then why is Merlin in my dreams? Why is he always connected to magic? Could he be a sorcerer? What about my powers? Could it be that… I have magic?_

With all those questions swirling in her head, she suddenly felt tired and the weariness of staying awake so late at night dawned upon her. She let herself fall upward on her bed.

“There’s something I need to tell you, Merlin. I have been holding it inside all day.”

“Lady Morgana, you don’t have to…”

“You were in my dream,” she blurted out.

Merlin had somewhat gained her trust and she felt like she had to justify herself to him, to tell him the truth. He seemed eager to get more information, yet he remained distant as if he had a filter to cover his emotions.

She immediately went on to push him further. “And you were using magic.”

The manservant swallowed hard. “Magic...”

“You wouldn’t happen to be a sorcerer, would you?” Morgana followed jokingly.

Her inner fetish hoped he would say yes, but the answer was blatantly obvious.

“Pardon? Why would you think that, Lady Morgana?” Merlin asked incredulous.

Her disappointment didn’t fail to show, but she shrugged. “I was just kidding. Of course you couldn’t be a sorcerer, Merlin.”

Merlin looked away. “Ah, yeah indeed. I’m only a manservant.”

Morgana was about to end this conversation, but Merlin surprised her with his next inquiry.

“Could you imagine a Camelot with magic?” he asked.

Sometimes she did, and it scared her.

_Magic is the source of all conflict_ , Uther repeated to her. Magic could only be used for evil and malfeasance. But with her recent dreams questioning the place of magic on Albion’s lands, she began to have a lighter perception of magic and its usage.

“I have…” she said slowly. “A Camelot where magic is used for good. Could you imagine that?”

Merlin eyes seemed to flicker for a moment as he gazed at her. “That is a beautiful vision.”

Morgana was taken aback because couldn’t make out what was going on in Merlin’s mind. He was unfortunately very good at hiding his emotions. Yet the look he momentarily gave her was one of great interest.

She coughed awkwardly. “Please excuse me, it is getting late and I need some sleep.”

Morgana told her final goodnight for the evening. Merlin’s ensuing grin before he left the room made her melt right away. She didn’t know if the young man felt the same way, but her growing curiosity and attraction for the manservant was becoming insatiable. She knew her fantasy was wrong by the rules of Camelot, though this mere fact was thrilling her. Her state of fatigue did not help in taming her emotions either.

She consumed her sleeping draught, and finally went to bed. The moon was high up in the sky, its light pouring through the window, enlightening the beautiful and rested face of the Lady Morgana. Before drifting off to sleep, she thought of a Camelot ruled by magic users... she also fantasized about a very handsome _warlock_ named Merlin.


	4. Craving (Part I)

Morgana woke up to the rays of sunlight pouring inside her chambers. Everything seemed brighter than usual, announcing a wonderful day ahead. She yawned and stretched her arms up. It had been days - no, weeks - since the King’s ward had such a good night. No nightmares, not even a dream! She slept right through the whole night, astonishingly.

Gwen was nowhere in sight, but her breakfast was already set up on a cart near her bed. The usual background noise of people in the marketplace and the sounds of clinking metal in the courtyard made her slowly come back to her senses.

_Sounds of clinking metal_. Wait, it was sword training. Wasn’t sword training much later in the day? She must have overslept!

Morgana tiredly pushed herself up from her bed. As she made her way to the window, she noticed her appearance in the nearby mirror. She had a sleepy face, but her hair and her robes were almost intact as if she had not moved at all during her sleep.

Then, she pushed the curtains open to the courtyard. She was greeted by the sight of the dear Prince Arthur, the man whom she considered both as her brother and as her nemesis. And of course, the ludicrously handsome Merlin was lingering nearby.

_Those two are really inseparable_ , she noted.

Morgana recalled the conversation she had with Merlin the previous night. A feeling of embarrassment invaded her, quite ashamed of her openness with the manservant. Now he knew she had nightmares and unlike the others, he believed her. Despite being her close confident and having such a sensitive personality, Morgana felt like Gwen couldn’t truly understand the extent of her dreams about magic and power.

There was definitely something off about Merlin, which made her instinctively put her trust into him. The way he cared about someone, whether it was Gaius, Gwen, Arthur or herself, was genuine. At least, based off her observations.

Not to mention his blazing hot lanky body… but she won’t get into that (yet).

After she was done with her morning routine, the Lady Morgana made her way downstairs to the main hall. She crossed Merlin as he came back from Arthur’s training. He was all sweaty from carrying the weight of armor on his shoulders, as well as the weight of the Prince’s arrogance.

“Did you have a good sleep, Lady Morgana?” he asked as he stopped beside her.

“I did. In fact, I overslept!” affirmed Morgana with satisfaction.

Merlin smirked. “Must have been the sleeping draught.”

“Oh?”

“Gaius added some… new ingredient. I guess it helped?”

So that would explain why she sleep thoroughly.

“It worked miraculously.”

Merlin raised an eyebrow. “Like magic?”

Morgana bit her lower lip and whispered. “Yes, like… magic.”

Again, the magic reference. There was no turning back now, Merlin had the knowledge of her secret and she just hoped he wouldn’t spoil anything to anyone else. She gave him a brief anxious stare before Arthur interrupted the conversation. He patted his servant on his back, who lightly flinched under the rather strong bump.

“Come on Merlin, I know you’re stronger than you look. We don’t have all day.”

Merlin rolled his eyes, earning a snicker from Morgana. Even though Merlin and Arthur adhered to their respective hierarchical roles, they also acted like very close friends… almost too close. The relationship was satirical: a servant and the King-to-be being _friends_. At first, she thought it was comparable to Uther and Gaius, but Merlin and Arthur’s relation was different. Both were cocky in their own ways and totally not afraid to argue their opinions, all without the obsolete formality.

Morgana smiled to herself. Maybe there was hope for Camelot after all if Arthur was the wielder of the crown. But she still preferred if _she_ would have gotten to be the _Queen of Camelot_.

Arthur approached Morgana. “Uther wanted me to inform you that we have a guest dinner tonight.”

“Oh, I see. And why doesn't he deliver the message himself?” the King’s ward scoffed.

Saying that she _hated_ Uther Pendragon was a bit too extreme, but it wasn’t a lie either. After all, he kept his promise to take Morgana under his wing after her father died, which displayed a genuine good side. But she still despised most things about him: his immutably conservative views of the Kingdom, of the future, of the people, and his selfishness. She had tried to passively sermonize him about it, but he treated her like a little naive and reckless girl. He just didn’t care! The young woman thought things would eventually change as she grew up. They didn’t and it irked her a lot.

“Just…” Arthur raised in hands in the air defensively, already giving up on Morgana’s impatience. “You are to attend or not. I am not arguing with him or you.”

With that, he passed by her and dragged Merlin with him. He just didn’t want to get involved in the _daughter-father_ issue, which was understandable.

Before Merlin left, Morgana gently tugged on his free wrist. “I need to talk to you. Meet me in my chambers after dinner.”


	5. Craving (Part II)

The Lady Morgana decided to attend the dinner that evening. Not because it was of relevant interest, but to show that she was mature and courteous to the oncoming guests instead; she would attend only to please Uther. Arthur was there, but it was his duty as the future King of Camelot after all.

She stood in front of her wardrobe, distracted and unable to pick the right dress. Her thoughts kept coming back to Merlin. She really needed to ask him more questions about her dreams. He was the only who didn’t think of her as a madwoman, the only who truly believed her and wasn’t afraid to talk about magic. As odd as it sounded, he was almost like a _confident_. The night before, her hopes rose up as she perceived a glimpse of determination in his eyes.

“Do you need some help Lady Morgana?”

Gwen was holding a basket of freshly washed laundry. Morgana showed a first dress in front of her.

“The red one, or…” she switched to another one. “...the green one?”

“With all due respect, is this a special occasion? These are not your usual dinner dresses.”

_Right._ Now she had to figure out a way to hide the fact that she invited Merlin in her chambers later in the evening, and that she was undeniably trying to look good for him.

“They are... important guests,” she lied. “They… will bring a lot to Camelot. So, we better impress them, hm?”

“I see.” Gwen simply nodded, not really trying to push Morgana further. “The green dress suits you perfectly. I think it complements the azure of your eyes and embraces your curves.”

“Thank you, Gwen. I can always count on you. You are such a good friend.”

She was indeed a good friend. Gwen was always there for her, no matter what. Who would have thought? Guinevere was precious. Not only was she very helpful, but she was such a truehearted person. Thus, for this occasion, Morgana dismissed her servant for the night. She hit two birds with one stone: Gwen could finally take a night off to see her father, and Morgana could spend some time with Merlin in private. Seemed like she was blessed by the spirits that day!

The evening arrived quickly. The King, along with his three guests were sitting around a fancily decorated dinner table in the throne room. The table was long and rectangular, leaving a lot of space between each person. It was a good thing; Morgana and Arthur could leave some space between her and the guests, and Uther. Morgana only wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. She occasionally eyed Merlin, who returned a sly smile.

The way his clothes fit loosely on his tall form left a lot to the imagination to figure out what was under. Merlin was a very physically active man and Morgana couldn’t help but trace every fiber of his moving muscles... she even went as far as to fantasize about touching his body.

She blushed and quickly averted her eyes away from Merlin as Arthur glared at her with an obvious frown. She was caught daydreaming over the manservant for the second time. She focused on the plate in front of her, not wanting any undesired attention. Fortunately, the guests didn’t notice and went on with their usual political and wealth matters.

“Milady, do you desire some more water?”

She jumped as Merlin’s head hovered over her shoulder. _Sneaky Merlin, sneaky._

“Yes, please.”

As Merlin leaned further to pour some water in her goblet, a wave of his so very intoxicating smell invaded her nostrils. He smelled the scent of trees and humid soil... It was the same scent as in her dream! It couldn’t be.

The manservant lingered there for a little longer. He definitely knew what he was doing and what effect he had on her.

“Thank you” she mouthed. She tried to ignore Arthur’s priceless disgusted face as he witnessed their little game. Uther on the hand, was oblivious like always. As if he would care anyway!

* * *

 

Dinner finally came to an end and the guests were dismissed. The sunset arrayed a variety of warm colors through the mosaic windows of the main hall. At that point of the year, the sunset was later in the evening, so the many used those supplementary hours of light to continue their daily tasks.

Morgana walked her way back to her chambers after sharing the usual courtesies with the guests. She hoped Merlin was closely following behind her, but he wasn’t there when she subtly turned around, much to her disappointment.

_What is wrong with me?_ She pondered on her recent behavior regarding the manservant. Gradually throughout the day she felt this abnormal rising lust and desire for Merlin. It almost became unbearable. As if something had partly taken possession of her mind and body, pushing her to crave for more.

_More Merlin._

She impatiently waited for the subject of her preposterous fantasies to show up. It took quite a long time before she finally heard a knock on her door.

“Merlin.” she whispered, wanting to avoid unwanted attention from any bystander.

“Sorry, I had to go through Arthur and the guards… And the Prince himself told me to get off you.”

Morgana could tell he was joking by his smirk. She walked behind him to close the door after him.

“Oh, what if I don’t want _you_ to get off me?” she inquired suggestively, leaning on the door.

Merlin’s expression suddenly changed, and he shook his head in disbelief. “Wha-Pardon?”

Seeing him working very hard during dinner and compensating for Gwen’s absence made her heart flutter.

The King’s ward had not been seeing men since her teenage years. She didn’t even consider them as men; they were more like _boys_! With her status, she could actually have any man she’d want - like one of the handsome knights - but she wasn’t the type to grant her intimacy to anyone. Not to mention, ever since Merlin arrived in Camelot, she had developed a soft spot for him and his distinctive appearance.

Morgana just couldn’t help herself and pushed the boundaries. The refreshing sleep she had the previous night only fuelled her inner desires, bursting out with excitement and imagination. The sleeping draught must have been very efficient...

“Merlin, what did Gaius add to my sleeping draught last night?”

“Ah, I-I don’t really know,” he stuttered, still taken aback by her suggestive comment. “I am not knowledgeable in that matter.”

She sighed, disappointed. “Well, that is unfortunate. It would have been good to know what ingredient fixed my sleep pattern.”

_The ingredient that also triggered my everlasting infatuation for you._

Morgana was growing hungry like a _troll_! The manservant in front of her crossed his arms and appeared reluctant to say something, making her even more eager to further investigate.

“I also feel _very_ energized. Way more than usual! I’m guessing it’s the sleeping draught as well?” she added.

Merlin studied Morgana for a moment, from the bottom to the top. With little to no reserve, his eyes lingered on her body for quite a long time... then shifted to her face. She suddenly became very self-conscious and flustered. Truthfully, she enjoyed it but she wouldn’t dare tell anyone. Not even Gwen.

The King’s ward was too caught up in her own state of mind to notice Merlin raising a hand in front of his mouth in disbelief.

“It can’t be…”

Without any warning, the King’s ward pulled Merlin’s shirt toward herself. She leaned closer to smell the crease of his neck, inhaling the delicious scent of pines and firewood. Her eyes rolled inside her head from the addictive scent. It was getting her hot… very hot.

“Morgana?”

He displayed a curious but mostly alarmed expression. The infatuated woman couldn’t help but stare at his parted luscious lips.

“You are only a boy looking for recognition,” she stated mindlessly, only reciting what she heard in her recent dream. “It is your destiny. What about mine?”

Merlin’s body stiffened. “Wha-what are you talking about?”

Morgana laid a hand on Merlin’s chest. Her lips pursed together as she felt the muscular firmness under the clothing. Her mind was screaming _STOP_ , but her body wouldn’t listen.

She stared up at him. “It is what you said in my dream.”

Merlin was slowly walking backwards as Morgana was heedlessly pushing on his front.

“That is… strange...” he said out of breath. He slightly winced as his back hit the cold and hard rock wall.

“Merlin, have you ever wished to rule this land?”

“I don’t think I can answer that…”

There were barely ten centimeters separating them. Morgana’s cheeks were already warm, her body heated and ready. But she didn’t give in yet; Merlin was still playing his reluctance game and she wanted more out of him.

“Tell me, Merlin. I am the King’s ward and I am ordering you.”

Merlin was taken aback, and actually grew a bit scared. Has she already uncovered his secret? Where was she heading with those questions? Even Morgana didn’t even know the answer herself.

“Sometimes it occurs to me… But I think Camelot is doing fine now,” he said, shrugging. “I am only a manservant after all.”

Morgana frowned. “What if you had magical powers? How would that affect your decision?”

She noticed how sweaty Merlin was becoming, matching her own rising body temperature.

“Camelot would probably be better without magic.”

Morgana was disappointed. It wasn’t the answer she wanted from him, and she was certain he thought otherwise.

“Just play along,” Morgana insisted. “What if you were a _sorcerer…_?”

Their bodies were almost fully touching, cheeks flushed and hasty heart beats. Morgana lost control of her mind, her whole body getting very hot. Her inhibitions were dissipating, clouded by a dense fog of lust and heat. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. She abruptly and eagerly pushed his body against the wall behind him, _craving_ for more.

Merlin’s first reaction was to try moving the enamored woman away, but he deliberately gave into the kiss… The feeling it brought wasn’t bad at all. Morgana only deepened the kiss and pressed herself against his tall build, destabilizing him even more. They only stopped to take a breath.

With a ragged voice, he spoke. “If I had magic I would change a couple of things...”

“What kind of things?” Morgana asked, half-teasing.

“Oh, _a lot_ of things. From the King to the whole Kingdom itself.”

There was no way to hide Merlin’s _hardening_ excitement through the layers of clothes. Morgana took notice of it and wasn’t fazed by it at all, completely driven by her lust.

“Would you teach me your spells, Mr. Warlock?”

Morgana took Merlin’s arm and pulled him toward her bed. There was sweat forming on her forehead and she was heating up very quickly. She was getting drowsy and her eyelids felt heavy, which quickly caught up the attention of the manservant.

“I’ll teach you anything you want, Lady Morgana.”

As Morgana let herself fall on her bed, Merlin had his mouth agape under the beautiful view that was presented in front of him. The green dress suited her perfectly, matching with her emerald eyes and showing enough cleavage to drive him mad. She was also staring at him with longing eyes and picking at the hem of his shirt.

She wanted - no, needed - every piece of him; he was to be hers that night, no objection. Though, she was getting sleepier as minutes went by, and progressively feverish. Her body felt heavy as if something was forcing her to her bed. She fought with all she had to stay conscious.

_No… have to... stay awake._

The manservant was visibly blushing, aroused by all the action going on and the situation itself. He was hovering over the King’s ward, his hands on the cushion, on both sides of her beautiful face. He caressed her so tempting porcelain skin, drawing him on the verge of succumbing to his primal instincts.

“ _Emrys_...” she moaned, beginning to pull her dress up her legs. “I’m… hot…”

Morgana had no idea of what she was saying anymore, void of any rationality. Her fever was becoming overwhelming. Merlin grimaced at the mention of the particular name.

_Emrys._ Just a name she heard one time in her dreams. It sounded _important_ … but why?

Merlin quickly pushed himself away from her, his senses coming back to him. He stayed in a sitting position on the bed next to an exhausted Morgana. “Morgana, please stop.”

Morgana’s eyes were slowly closing while her whole body was growing numb. She looked at him weakly. “Merlin... we can rule this world together… as one.”

The young warlock passed his fingers through his hair with a sigh, then shook his head. “I can’t let that happen.”

“You... aren’t supposed to... say that…”

The last thing she saw was Merlin leaning over her and muttering some kind of gibberish. But she knew exactly what it was…

It was magic. And Merlin was a _sorcerer._


	6. Side-effects (Part I)

Merlin was a good man with a good heart. Never once did he think about taking advantage of an incapacitated woman, let alone the King’s ward. He didn’t expect the turn of events, and surely not an infatuated Morgana.

Resisting her advances that evening was not an easy task; in fact, it took all his willpower not to falter under her sensuality. Merlin was still a young man after all and he hadn’t been so lucky in love. Similarly to Morgana, his body was also craving for this intimacy and imminent release.

He was leaning on his room’s door, panting from all the events and running. After Morgana passed out, he placed Morgana on her bed. He had a hard time taking his eyes off her protruding cleavage, mentally slapping himself to stop the flow of nasty thoughts. She really did put on a show for him that evening.

Fortunately for the servant, Gaius was deeply asleep when he barged into his chambers. He successfully tiptoed his way to the far end, where his room was, and managed to quietly close the wooden door behind him.

When Morgana mentioned the name _Emrys_ , chills ran down his spine. How did she know? Only the druids called him like that. Even if she was hallucinating, it couldn’t just be a coincidence. Perhaps the path to fulfill his destiny was changed once more.

Merlin slouched on his bed and picked up the magic spell book underneath it. He first dismissed the idea of her having side-effects, but the way she was behaving the next day raised his suspicions. He went quickly through the old pages of his grimoire until he reached the chapter in question.

As he read further through the book of spells, he cursed under his breath.

The portion covering the spell Merlin used had two main sections. The first section defined the spell itself and its usage. Unsurprisingly, Merlin got that part perfectly. However, he neglected the latter section; the one about the potential side-effects. It vaguely explained how one under the spell may be develop relentless infatuation for the one who casted the spell.

Merlin had completely bypassed this section, like an idiot. Or maybe he was _really_ an idiot.

He considered many times whether speaking to Gaius was a good idea... Maybe not. Gaius would kill him if he knew he had casted a spell on the sleeping draught.

Though, the volume didn’t mention anything about prophecies or hallucinations. The reason as to why Morgana spoke his secret name remained unknown.

Merlin pushed the grimoire aside and stuffed his face in his not-so-comfy pillow. He ruffled his hair out of irritation. She was going to be the death of him. His aroused state had not quite… settled down, and he still felt the need for imminent release.

It was exceptionally cold that night, only a few degrees away from frost formation on windows. Though the manservant kept his window wide open.

* * *

 

“Merlin!”

The servant woke up to the sounds of an angry old man.

“Why did you leave the window open? Last night was cold as ice!”

As he opened his eyes, he saw frost on his covers, his bed posts, his walls, his cloth curtain… There was frost everywhere! He squinted his eyes, trying to make out the state of his room. There was even a light cover of white on his eyelashes.

“I’m sorry Gaius; I forgot to close it…” Merlin said sluggishly, slowly waking up.

“How could you have forgotten? Weren’t you cold?” Gaius asked as he closed the window.

Merlin shivered. Of course, he had been cold all night long! But he would never tell the true reason as to why he left the freezing air swarm into the chamber… He pulled the covers off him and checked himself; at least it worked.

The court physician had a reprimanding look on his face. “Come and eat your breakfast. I have errands I want you to do for me today after your duties.”

“Yes Gaius.”

The older man walked out of Merlin’s messy room. It didn’t take the young man a long time to realize the huge drop in temperature compared to the last night, but that was no issue for him _._ The young warlock recited a spell and gradually restored the room temperature back to normal. How convenient.

Merlin was sent off to run errands to the marketplace shortly after carrying his daily duties as Arthur’s manservant, which mainly consisted of washing and scrubbing armor, doing laundry and serving food, all while enduring the prat ranting. Arthur was a good prince at heart and was smart (at times), but boy was he oblivious.

Gaius had prepared a long list of tasks for Merlin, including replacing all the plants he had unintentionally frozen and killed – and he had to pay from his own already empty pockets, of course.

Merlin didn’t encounter or even see Morgana for the rest of the day, as if she had disappeared… Or maybe she was avoiding him? It was without lie that he found their intimate moment very enticing and he only hoped she would open up to speak about it again. The manservant did feel immensely embarrassed; she was the King’s ward after all. Yet he could not forget the way she touched his body as she was fully leaning into him. It left him craving for more and more of her, insatiably.

Arthur didn’t fail to point out his unusual and distracted behavior later in the day, when both were in his chambers.

“Merlin, there is something on your mind” he observed.

The servant feigned ignorance and continued to brush the armor pieces. “What?”

“Oh you know what I’m talking about. You are hiding something from me.”

For a moment, Merlin thought he was implying his magic, but he recalled how the Prince was too oblivious despite all the presented opportunities. Admittedly, the King Uther Pendragon was even worse than his son to notice all the illegitimate activities and schemes happening behind his back. It showed what genes Arthur inherited…

 “I swear, I don’t know what you are talking about, Sire. What makes you say that?”

Arthur stood up from his working desk, annoyed by Merlin’s stubbornness.

“You don’t have your usual wit, not that you often have it.”

Again, the prat’s pride striked.

“I swear, I have nothing to hide. I’m an open book,” Merlin said, stretching his arms wide.

The Prince patted the young man on the shoulder. “Is it because I picked you as the moving target yesterday?”

There was no reaction from Merlin, who shrugged. The following slam on the table made him jolt from his seat.

“Oh I know what it happening,” Arthur spoke with fervor. “What is going on with you and Morgana? Is there something you need to tell me?”

Merlin carefully raised his eyes at the not-so-threatening Prince. “Nothing that concerns you I may say… She is having nightmares, as you already know.”

“You two kept exchanging looks during dinner last evening. And you followed her into her chambers!”

Merlin didn’t bend, he knew what he was doing. “I delivered her sleeping draught, nothing more and per usual, Milord.”

Arthur sighed and crossed his arms. “Right. What you are doing with the King’s ward is none of my business and I don’t even want to know. But if you are to expose anything of this to my father or anyone else in this castle for that matter, you’re going to hell. Understood?”

Merlin quickly nodded.

“I do not want any trouble, especially coming from a fool like you,” the Prince added.

“Thank you for your so very kind words, Sire.” Merlin said sarcastically, but also grinning. The verbal attacks didn't affect him anymore. Unlike Arthur, Merlin could really read the Prince like an open book. He didn't mean the insults; it was merely a way to boost his own ego.

Indeed, Arthur was not the worst person to confront. Merlin was mostly afraid of Gaius, who was still unaware of his activities of the previous night. He surely had his suspicions, but hopefully he didn’t know the truth. The consequences he would have to deal with if the old man ever came to know were unpredictable.

It was only in the evening that Merlin caught up with a Gwen hastily walking in the hallway.

“Merlin! I was looking for you.”

He halted on his tracks. “What is it?”,

“It is about Morgana…”

Merlin’s heartbeat increased at the mention of the woman, both from anxiety and bliss. Did she remember anything from the previous night? As much as he wished for her to recall the steamy moment they shared, he pleaded that she didn’t remember the magic part.

“She sent me home yesterday. But when I came back this morning she was acting really strange.” Gwen eyed Merlin with suspicious eyes. “She also kept talking about you...”

Merlin’s shoulders faltered. “I have nothing to do with it...”

“Merlin,” Gwen interrupted. “You don’t have to lie to me. You didn’t only go to Morgana’s chambers to deliver her sleeping draught.”

Arthur and Gwen both hit the spot. He slapped himself mentally for his great lack of subtlety. For the most part, he was good at hiding secrets, but not that time it seemed.

“She desperately requested to speak to you, I think you should go.”

Merlin nodded without replying. Gwen did not need to remind him, he already knew he would eventually have to face Morgana again. However, he needed to speak to someone in particular before making a dumb decision.


	7. Side-effects (Part II)

Dumb decisions were the forte of Merlin. Reason why he needed to seek help from a particular friend, namely the mighty and ancient Great Dragon, Kilgharrah.

_‘If the Lady Morgana knows about your gift, Camelot is intended to be doomed with evil and destruction. You must not let her know about your magic.’_

_‘But what if she does understand? Morgana is a good person, I know her.’_

_‘It is your choice, Merlin. But remember, her nightmares are premonitions. If you are not to kill her, you have to erase her memory.’_

The Great Dragon was known for his “life-changing” words and prophecies. Personally, Merlin didn’t consider Morgana to be an evil person. When she spoke his true name, she was in a vulnerable and weak state, stupidly induced by himself. So why would he have to use magic against her? When he descended the stairs to the caves to meet up with the chained up dragon, Merlin expected to be scolded and told to be careful, but to go as far as to erase her memories, he didn’t think he could do it.

Still, Merlin figured the right thing to do was at least to check if she remembered last night’s events, even with her fever. Not only for the sake of keeping his magic powers hidden, but also to know if she reciprocated the attraction and lust.

The manservant daydreamed about the kiss, the touch, her body leaning into his... He wanted more of her scent of roses, her silky skin and her thick dark hair. The thought of their latest encounter made his blood boil. And the thought of having to wipe those memories off made his fists clench in frustration.

Although the predictions did not always fulfill the expected way, they always held some truth. Merlin exactly knew that as a last resort, he would have to erase Morgana’s memories of him and the previous night, he just didn’t know if he could bring himself to do it.

* * *

 

Morgana was pacing back and forth in her chambers, dressed in white silky night robes. She was impatiently waiting for a certain person, namely the one and only Merlin. There were a few questions she needed him to answer, precisely what happened after she blacked out. Much to her annoyance, the last thing she remembered was his lanky body leaning over her and his lips hovering over hers, and then becoming extremely light headed. She thought she heard Merlin recite a spell, but she figured it was only her imagination. The memory of being that close to the manservant made her body shiver in excitement, but the rational part of her brain kept asking, _what if they went too far?_

The side-effects of the altered sleeping draught had not quite settled down. She felt she made a major discovery but she couldn’t put her finger on it and her mind was still foggy from her feverish state.

Merlin arrived to Morgana’s chambers shortly after. Both were standing face-to-face for a moment, awkwardly.

“Merlin.”

“Lady Morgana.”

The King’s ward let the manservant enter her private chambers and immediately closed the door. Still unaware her side-effects, she licked her lips at the sight of Merlin wearing his undershirt and his red scarf. His sleeves were shrivelled up to his elbows and he seemed to be returning from a heavy-work day. She could make the outline of his chest muscles and recalled how they moved under her hands.

On his side, Merlin was unable to speak under the view of Morgana in thin robes. It was almost translucent with her underwear showing and it was _very_ hard to divert his eyes away. He shamefully wished he could touch her again, wrap her around him. All those inappropriate thoughts filled his head for a few seconds before he broke the silence.

“I… came here to deliver this” he said as he handed over the flask to Morgana; another sleeping draught.

“I know…” Morgana replied. She took the flask and put in on the nearby table.

Merlin took notice of her move. He kept fidgeting on his feet unable to hold a calm composure, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

She went straight to the point. “Merlin, what happened yesterday?”

The lanky man pursed his lips together in hesitation. “You were feverish, so I tucked you in bed.”

“Did we…” Morgana did not need to finish the sentence, with Merlin already catching up.

“No!! I mean… No, we didn’t.” He quickly cut her, his hands joined behind his back.

The King’s ward expelled her breath in a whose. She would have doubted any other man’s words, but Merlin was deemed trustworthy. She put a hand on his forearm and leaned into him. The young man stiffened under her touch.

“There is something I need to tell you...” she whispered in his ear.

Merlin wished he could kiss her right there, but he retained his breath and stance, awaiting for the reveal. He knew what to do if she knew about his magic, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to use it.

“I enjoyed it.” Morgana said suddenly.

“You-what?” Merlin asked carefully.

Morgana was fixated on him and made her intention clear. “I haven’t been with a lot of men. In fact, I have never been this close to any other man than I was with you yesterday.”

She paused.

“I think I like you Merlin.”

She broke the barrier between them, again going straight to the point like an arrow rightfully hitting the target. Merlin was taken aback. While he was secretly the most powerful sorcerer to walk the Earth, he was only a manservant to the eye of the this woman. He couldn’t believe she would think of him in such way.

_She must still be under the side-effects of the sleeping draught_ , he thought.

Nevertheless, it blew his mind out. For a Lady of their time, she surely was blunt and daring… What a coincidence, they both were blunt and daring!

Merlin mumbled some incomprehensible words and stuttered before being able to verbalize something clear. “I like you too Morgana. And I think you are a very beautiful woman.”

The words were said in such genuine manner that Morgana suddenly felt weak. All her wishes for domination and power forgotten for a short instant, her defenses overthrown.

His whole face was warm and his heartbeat erratic. Morgana surprised him with a deep and passionate kiss, as she wrapped her arms around him. The young warlock himself was not yet used to this kind of affection. But it felt good. _Very good._ So he gave into it, returning the embrace.

“Maybe we should keep this private, Milady?” he asked humorously, but also with hint of seriousness.

Morgana smiled wickedly and massaged the back of Merlin’s neck, ascending her hand to the back of his head, into his thick dark hair. This one let out an unusually loud sigh, mixed with both arousal and pure satisfaction.

The King’s ward had flashes about the previous night. The name _Emrys_ kept popping in her head again and again, but she didn’t realize where it came from exactly. When she looked at Merlin, the name seemed to make sense, somehow… but the question was _why?_

“Merlin, did anything else happened last night?” she asked, fully in control of the situation. Merlin was getting a little bit light-headed himself with the over-tempting woman bantering in front of him.

“Not that I can recall...” Merlin replied mindlessly.

“I feel that I am eluding something very important…”

Merlin had an idea of what she was talking about, but he clearly had no intention of reminding her. She pulled away from him.

“You had a fever Lady Morgana. Your memories may be only fooling you.” He tightened the grip around her hand, wanting to keep her close.

She bit her lip in contemplation, her gaze wandering around the room, as if she was physically searching for evidence and hints.  “It was real. It has something to do with… my dreams. With magic.”

She turned toward him with a bold look in her eyes. “You wouldn’t lie to me about what happened, would you?”

“I would never lie to you Morgana. Nothing else happened. Your fever worsened and you needed rest.” Merlin lied.

It was not the first time since his arrival in Camelot that Merlin had to lie through his teeth. It made him feel awfully bad, but he knew he could never have his way with Uther Pendragon. The King would have his head cut, or permanently banish the warlock from the kingdom lands. In either case, Merlin could not fulfill his destiny to save Arthur and Camelot would be doomed.

He found it viciously exhausting to lie to the Lady Morgana. He wanted to be honest with her, but it just wasn’t meant to be. He cursed to himself internally. Another day, another lie. _One day you will be rewarded_ , said the Great Dragon. Yet, for all this time spent lying and pretending, he could only feel guilty and selfish.

Morgana was very persistent, and oblivious to the discord going on inside Merlin’s head. She already had her suspicions, but she still essentially thought that it was all her imagination or that she was being crazy.

“I do remember something...” she rubbed her temple. “The name _Emrys_. Does it sound familiar to you?”

“No.” Merlin swallowed. “I am afraid you are delusioning with this one. I have no idea who that is.”

He quickly added, “Or what it is.”

Morgana composure fell. “I could have sworn I’ve heard it last night...”

Merlin averted his gaze.

“You think I’m crazy, do you? I thought you believed me.”

Her only confident, the one she believed could enlighten her, just shattered her hopes and expectations.

There was no right way to reply, and Merlin did not wanting to completely lose her trust. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him, forcing their faces to be only centimeters apart.

“Morgana, you are not crazy. I fear you’re only having... side-effects.”

“Side-effects from what?” Morgana suddenly asked.

“From… the sleeping draught. The new ingredient may have caused some unwanted and unexpected side-effects.”

She harshly removed her hand from his grip. “How could that happen? Gaius would never miss such thing.”

Merlin sighed. “Actually, I proposed the mixture. I thought it would... improve your sleep pattern by inducing… some sleep-inducing toxins.”

_Lies_ , always lies. Merlin was careful with his words.

“Toxins? Are you trying to poison me?”

“What, _poisoning you_? H-how would anyone want that?” Merlin said outrageously.

Of course. He would _never_ try to poison the King’s ward. _Ever_ , right?

Merlin went on with his fabricated lie. “The quantities were too small to cause death, but enough to slightly affect your system. Gaius told me.”

“This is madness,” Morgana frowned. “Why does it feel so real? Why am I having those dreams?” Morgana shook her head frantically, like a real crazy person. “Why are you even in my dreams? Why am I so... infatuated with you?”

Merlin smirked and couldn’t resist the temptation. “Maybe… because you are really infatuated with me?”

Morgana rolled her eyes, hardly amused. “Merlin, you're telling me this feeling of déja vu is merely a side-effect?”

The servant nodded, while the King’s ward hastily paced around. She picked up the sleeping draught and held it in front of her.

“Any new nasty ingredients you’re hiding from me?” she said bitterly.

“No, I swear on my life. It is harmless.” Merlin pleaded the royal woman to believe him.

He told the truth after all, that night’s sleeping draught had nothing added to it. The manservant tried to put on a smile and reassure her. “Despite the rather… irritating side-effects, it did a marvelous job, am I right?”

Morgana had no other choice but to agree. She didn’t have any nightmares, had the best night of her life, and she felt more refurbished than ever.

“I told Gaius about your side-effects, and the ingredient that have caused your hallucinations was removed.”

There was slight panic on Morgana’s face for a moment, before Merlin added an important rectification. “I mean, I didn’t tell him about _us_.”

The King’s ward finally let herself fall on her bed, a little bit relieved. She was still suspicious of the peculiar manservant, but she was getting tired of trying. Maybe he was right after all; it was all her imagination and she only needed some rest.

She consumed the sleeping draught. Her nightmares had been growing heavier and bleak, and it was the only remedy she knew. The so-called remedy couldn’t solve one problem though. She still felt insatiate, hungry like a wolf that has been eyeing its prey since a long time… And while she had little to no control of her inhibitions, _why not_ let her fantasies go wild?

“Merlin, tell me… How long are the side-effects supposed to last?”

“I’m not sure, probably a few couples of hours left... Milady, I think I should go now.”

Merlin decided it was time for him to leave, already very tense from inventing all those lies. He headed to the door.

“Merlin,” a seductive voice called.

He slowly turned around.

“Would you care giving me a new blanket?” She pointed to a folded blanket near her wardrobe. “You see, I’m already comfortable in my bed.”

The servant obeyed to the King’s ward. He took the blanket and layed it carefully on her bed. He frowned, not sure of what would happen next. Where was Gwen anyway? Wasn’t she supposed to come and take on her duties as Morgana’s servant?

The next thing she did completely caught him off guard. Morgana was sitting on her bed covers, her legs folded under her. She was almost fully naked, as she had pulled her robes up, letting a clear view to her slender, pale and soft legs.

Merlin felt the arousal almost instantaneously rise within him, the same way it did the previous night and earlier. This time, he was not ashamed and didn’t bother to hide his excitement.

She grabbed him almost violently and straddled him under her, as if she had been reading his mind. She slid her hands under his shirt, finally getting to feel the muscles she constantly day-dreamed about. She made sure he was locked under her, unable to move. It wasn’t long until she felt him harden under her.

“I think I have unfinished business with you,” she said staring into his ocean blue eyes.

Merlin’s mind was getting foggy with lust once again, but the feeling was stronger than ever before. He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her, with their bodies colliding together. He had this urge of having her close to him, both physically and mentally.

“Oh, really?” He managed to say in the midst of kisses and caresses. “You can do anything with me. I am at your mercy, Milady.”

Status, secrets, dreams and prophecies didn’t matter anymore, they only wanted to be one. They didn’t stop that night, and no side-effects stood in the way.


	8. Destiny

Gwen didn’t tend to her duties as Morgana’s servant that night. When she sent Merlin to her mistress’ chambers, she knew they both needed some time alone together. It was wrong under Camelot’s laws, but she wasn’t exactly the right person to judge; she herself was profoundly attracted to the Prince Arthur. A few times during the evening, she diverted the guards from checking on Morgana, pretending that she was very sick and needed rest.

It was when she caught a glimpse of a dishevelled Merlin clumsily walking out of the wooden doors that she realized what really had been going on. His hair were all over the place and his clothes were rippled… Fortunately for her, Merlin walked past the alcove she was hiding in with a goofy grin plastered on his face. He was clearly too distracted to notice her.

Following that night, Morgana mostly avoided Merlin for the rest of the week. The side-effects had settled down and she regained control of her emotional impulses, especially toward the secretive young warlock. For an unknown reason, her nightmares had also settled down and her sleep greatly improved, proven to be undisturbed.

Her queries regarding her dreams were sadly never truly answered. She never found out the truth about Merlin’s magic and true persona, neither about her own hidden powers. Sometimes, Morgana still had those moments in which she felt a void inside of her and wondered why the name _Emrys_ occasionally popped in her head. Her intuition fueled her suspicion toward Merlin and she still had the feeling he was the answer to all of her questions.

_They are only side-effects from the sleeping draught, nothing less, nothing more_ , she repeated to herself.

Deep inside she knew she would never get a straightforward answer from Merlin, or anyone present in the castle. She believed that one day, the time would come for revelation and truth.

Nevertheless, Merlin stole the key to her heart. The night they shared was sinful and dangerous. They could have been easily caught, with Merlin sentenced to death and her locked in her chambers forever… But they were both blunt and daring. It was an electrifying experience, filled with passion, lust and excitement. And love, of course. The magic behind it all was there.

Truth was, Merlin should have wiped off her memory, as Kilgharrah told him to. Yet, making her think she was dreaming seemed easier. And obviously, he enjoyed knowing that she could recall their intimate, steamy moment together. Part of it was a selfish decision, but considering he got little to no recognition for saving everyone’s arse, it was only a natural response. When they would cross each other in the castle’s hallways, they would share a wink or a weak smile. It made him feel good and appreciated, boosting his own ego.

All occurred as if it was only a dream. Even Gaius didn’t call Merlin out on his latest activities. Or more likely that the old man knew, but he dodged the subject. Merlin got his lesson, and his first experience with an exceptionally stunning woman. As long as it remained secret, there was no reason to speak about it… The Lady Morgana wouldn’t use it against him, would she?

_She has a good heart._

Merlin seriously believed in her and deemed that the time would come when he would have to reveal the truth. Some would say he was blinded by an impossible love. Others would say he is only looking for somebody who could sympathize with him.

Little did Merlin and Morgana know what destiny held for them.


End file.
